Device for the nightly light beaconing of high tension overhead cables



Feb. 1942.` J. BETl-.IEND- ErAL .2,272,080

DEVICE FOR THE NIGHTLY LIGHT BEACONING OF HIGH TENSION OVERHEAD CABLES Filed March 11, 1959 Patented Feb'. 3, 1942 y uNITEoS'l-ATES PATENTOFFICE f y i 2,272,080 l' DEVICE. FOR THE NIGHTLY LIGHT EAcON-v ING OF HIGH TENSION OVERHEAD oABLEs Joseph Bethenod rand Daniel Kayserr Paris,

France, assignors to Socit Anonyme pour les Applications delElectricit et des Gaz Raresv Etablissements France Claude-Paz & .Y Silva, Paris,

Application March v11, 1939, Serial No.`261,352

l u In Switzerland March 31,- 1938 'z claims. (ci. 177-352) ly light-beaconing of overhead high tension ca-v bles, by means of luminescent electric discharge tubes. f e f This device utilizesthe known methodOf-feedthe luminescent tube 3 -which latter may for eX- ample bein thevform of a spiral,- isheld in position byA means of an insulator 4 attached to the r cable I'byV means oa two piece metallic sleeve 5 (or equivalent member). As regardsfthe-capaci- 5 tative element 6 this is suspended from' the socket f lng a 'luminescent tube, whichv consists in' con- 2 through the intermediary of two curved arms 'll necting one of thehigh tension cables to one of which encircle the conductor I' at a convenient' the electrodes of the said tube, the other elec' distance. v l i trode beingv connectedto an insulated metallic Asisknown, this'element serves thepurpose l (capacitative) element, the effect of which vmay l0k of increasing the capacitative effect to earth off be augmented by` an vauxiliary cable arranged the electrode which is not connected to theY conparallel to and 'at a4v slight `distance from the ductor 'I, and' consequently `of ensuring abetter cable to be lighted. f feeding VofY the luminescent tube. Itgis further-2 According to the invention, the luminescent known to. augment this effect with advantage by` discharge tube is held in a preferably vertical means of an auxiliary conductor cable which-is position above the ,high tension cable by means disposed parallel to and ata slight distance from of anv linsulating support.' attached to' the said the conductor I-." VSucha conductor 8 is'shown in cable, lwhiie the metallic 'member forming the Figure 3and, in case saidconductor'istoo' long capacitative element is suspended from the'in- `tobe supported' bythe arms alone, its extremities` sulating support below the .said cable by `means may be supported' by insulators (not shown) susof at least one curved. arm turning round the pended from the conductor I. In any case the high tension cable. One' electrode of the lumivolume, Weight and section of the elementl may nescent tube is connected to the said cable 'by evidently be so chosen as to,ensure'perfect'mech-A meansof a conductor preferably passing through anical stability of the` installation, taking intol the insulating support, the other electrode being account the Wind-pressure if any. connected to the'metallic member by means 0f Figure 2 is a sectional View of certaindetails the curved arm or arms from which 'the said particularlyof theielectrical connectionsof" the metallic element is suspended. various members, ona plane Vertical to that ,of The vertical position of the luminescent disthe cable I. The luminescent' tube 3 protected charge tube above the cable to be lighted is evi- -k 30. by atransparent envelope 9, has one of its elec.- dently very advantageous in that it ensures a trodes AI0 connected to the element 6 through the satisfactory,distribution of the light rays; it also intermediary of vthe annular socket '2* and the prevents 'either the Cable, t0 be lightedyory the curvedarrns L'whiletheelectrode`II is connected various members which holdA the luminescent to the conductor l-by'means of'a 1ead|-2 passing v tube in position 0r supply current to its e1ec atnrough the insuiatorffl.k :Moreoveaastabilisnlg trodes from acting as screens. resistance 'I3,may rbe interposedl inthe said lead' Moreover, the metallic element suspended upon .and maynbe located nfa hollow".space provided. the insulating Support of the luminescent disin'theinteri'or ofy the said insulator. fAs will be, Charge tube aCtS as a COllrltelWeight, and thus seen. in the drawing, the insulator may'also be prevents angular displacement of the said tubel 40 extended upwardly by means of a hollow column and by making this 0f Suitable Size and Shape I4 which serves the purpose of maintaining in it may at the same time be utilized for balancing position the luminescent tube which is wound in the torque dile t0 Wind Pressure llpOIl the entire a spiralY upon the said column. Replacement, if lighting installation. any, of the said luminescent tube is thus made The invention will be clearly understood from very easy once the envelope 9 has been removed, the accmpauying drawing Whh illustrates an an operation which may befacilitated by means embodiment given by way of example. f of an attachment in the manner of a screw or Fig. l shows a plan View of the marker; bayonet socket?. l Fig. 2 is a sectional View of Fig. 1 with parts It is evident that several alternatives of the in elevation; and -preceding arrangements may be provided without Fig. 3 shows a modification of the invention. thereby deviating fromthe invention as set forth In Figure 1 which is a View in perspectival in 'the` appended claims. indicates one of the cables to be lighted. In What we claim is: accordance with the invention the socket 2 ofV 1. A marker for a high voltage overhead cable,

t5I comprising an insulator provided at itsbase with a connector for securing said insulator to the cable and at its top with a rigidly depending bracket member extending about and below the cable, an electric discharge lamp on the top of the insulator, electrodes for said discharge lamp, said electrodes being connected to said connector and bracket member, respectively, and a capacitive counterweighting member connected to the lower end of said bracket member and adapted to hold the insulator and lamp assembly upright on the cable and to evolve a light energizing capacitive leak current from the cable through said lamp.

2. A marker for a high-voltage overhead cable, comprising a hollow insulator provided at its base with a connector for securing said insulator to the cable and at its top with a hollow insulating upright stem and a rigidly depending bracket member extending about and below the cable, an electric -discharge tube of a generally vertical design, arranged about said stem, upper and lower electrodes for said tube, said upper electrode being connected to said connector through the hollow in said insulator and stem and the lower electrode being connected to said bracket member, and a capacitive counterweighting member connected to the lower end of said bracket member and adapted to hold the insulator and lamp assembly upright on the cable and to evolve a light energizing capacitive leak current from the cable through said lamp.

V3. A marker for a high-voltage overhead cable, comprising a hollow insulator provided at its base with a connector for securing said insulator to the cable, a bracket member formed at one end with a sleeve portion secured to the top of the insulator and depending from said portion to extend about and below the cable, an electric discharge lamp on the top of the insulator, electrodes for said discharge lamp, one of said electrodes being connected to said connector and the other of said electrodes being connected to the sleeve portion, a glass bell housing for said lamp, having its lower open end secured to said sleeve portion, and a capacitive counterweighting member connected to the lower end of said bracket member and adapted to hold the insulator and lamp assembly upright on the cable and to evolve a light energizing capacitive leak current from the cable through said lamp.

4. A marker for a high-voltage overhead cable, comprising an electric lighting unit, means for securing said lighting unit to said cable and at one side thereof, a capacitative element positioned on the opposite side of the cable from said lighting unit and constructed to evolve a light-energizing capacitative leak current from the cable through the unit, terminals for said lighting unit,

means connecting one of said terminals to the cable and the other of said terminals to the capacitative element, said capacitative element being of such weight that it will serve as a counterweight for said lighting unit to maintain it in an upright position.

5. A marker for a high-voltage overhead cable, comprising an electric lighting unit, means for supporting said lighting unit in an upright position above said cable, a capacitative element suspended below the cable and constructed to evolve a light-energizing capacitative leak current from the cable through the unit, terminals for said lighting unit, means connecting one of said terminals to the cable and the other of said terminals to the capacitative element, said capacitative element being of such weight that it will serve as a counterweight for said lighting unit to maintain it in an upright position.

6. A marker for a high-voltage overhead cable, comprising an electric lighting unit, means for supporting said lighting unit above said cable, a capacitative element suspended below the cable and adapted to evolve a light-energizing capacitative leak current from the cable through the unit, means on said capacitative element for securing an auxiliary capacitative member thereto, terminals for said lighting unit, means connecting Aone of said terminals to the cable and the other of said terminals to the capacitative element, said capacitative element being of such weight that it will serve as a counterweight for said lighting unit to maintain it in an upright position.

'7. A marker for a high-voltage overhead cable, comprising a hollow insulator provided at its base with a connector for securing said insulator to the cable and provided at its top with a hollow insulating upright stem, a rigidly dependent bracket member extending about and below the cable, an electric discharge tube of generally vertical design arranged about said stem, upper and lower electrodes for said tube, said upper electrode being connected to said connector through the hollow in said insulator and stem, a stabilizing resistance interposed between said upper electrode and said connector and positioned in the hollow of said insulator, the lower electrode of said tube being connected to said bracket member, and a capacitative counterweighting member connected to the lower end of said bracket member and adapted to hold the insulator and lamp assembly upright on the cable and to evolve a light-energizing capacitative leak i current from the cable through said lamp,

JOSEPH BETHEN OD. DANIEL KAYSER. 

